Rays trade Wilmer Font to the Mets; other roster moves

The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets have reached an agreement for right-handed reliever Wilmer Font in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later.

Font has worked as both an opener and a reliever over the past two seasons, yet aside for a phenomenal stretch before he was placed on the IL with a season ending injury in 2018, he has not found much success at the big league level, with a career 6.51 ERA and a bloated 2.22 HR/9 across 65 innings of work. The right-hander averages 94.3 mph on his fastball, complementing that offering with an 83.2 mph slider and a 75.5 mph curveball.

The trade clears space for RHP Casey Sadler, who was optioned back to Triple-A Durham ahead of Sunday’s postponed game. Sadler has appeared in two games for Tampa Bay this season (totaling four innings of work), relinquishing four total hits while walking none and fanning two.

The Rays also optioned LHP Ryan Yarbrough back to Durham, clearing space on the 25-man roster for UTL Andrew Velasquez. Yarbrough was most recently recalled on Sunday ahead of the rain out. Since there would not be much work for him given their upcoming schedule (three days off over the next eight days), the team chose to air on the side of versatility.

The 24-year-old switch hitting Velasquez can play everywhere on the field — especially in the middle infield and centerfield — is speedy, so he could be utilized in a pinch running role, and gives the Rays a four-man bench. He made his big league debut last season and spent time with the Rays already this season, although he hadn’t seen any playing time.